Special wedding ceremony at Juravinski Cancer Centre

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All weddings are emotional, but this one had special meaning for the bride, groom and their families. That’s because Phil Secord is in the fight of his life, battling leukemia which returned after rounds of chemo. But it didn’t stop him from exchanging vows with his fiancée, Amberley and their venue… Hamilton’s Juravinski Cancer Centre, the hospital where Secord is being treated.

With the help of staff and their Chaplain Ann, the St. Catharine’s couple was ready to say their vows. The couple had 25 of their closest friends and family attend the wedding.

Phillip Secord came home from work last September in pain and showed his fiancée Amberley his knee. That’s when their life turned upside down. “His knee looked like someone took a bat to it. It was black and blue,” Amberley recalls. They went to the clinic and after getting some bloodwork done, their worst fear was realized. Phil was diagnosed with cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

When their now 6 month old daughter Ellie came over during the interview Phil was overwhelmed. He was asked what went through his mind at that very moment.
“I’m not giving up or believing that I won’t live, but if it comes to the situation where you do, because you kind of have to accept whatever cards are laid in front of you right. I won’t be able to see her grow up and I want her to know who her dad is.”

So Phil keeps fighting. After numerous rounds of chemo and a bone marrow transplant they finally thought things were getting better. He was told to wear a face mask for 100 days after the surgery but on the 77th day at routine check-up the doctor had terrible news. His leukemia came back and it was worse than before.

Last week the couple decided that they couldn’t wait any longer, it was time for them to get married.

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